I didn't get married young, I was 28 the first time.
I did remarry but it took me about 10 years before I made that decision. I made that decision after a LONG bit of thought and wasn't in a hurry at all when it came up.
I did watch some "chick flicks" with the wife, then again she watched some guy flicks like SPR, Wind Talkers (not real good but still a guy flick) and others. At this time we have dual TV's and if it's a real sappy chick flick she'll put on her headphones so the sound track doesn't go through the entire RV.
Both of us are comfortable in our own skins and don't "need" the other to tell what to do or how to live. We were already pretty compatible when we got together as this wasn't the first for either of us. Each knows the other has their own quirks and we accept that there will be times when one will have sway over the other in some decisions. For the most part we are pretty well in synch and can even finish the others sentences in a conversation at times.
No Laz, that doesn't mean finishing the sentence with "yes dear".
When it comes down to voting it's very similar. Neither will tell the other how to vote. We do ask each other what they think of a candidate or proposition.
There is some compromise in a lot of things but it's easy since both of us think very much alike on most matters. It's certainly not any problem to me to "let her have her way" on some things nor is it a problem for her to do the same. Each of us has our own particular strengths in knowledge and we don't try to play one up in that area. Both of us like to learn so seeing and finding new things is fun for us. Sticking to a single view point can often hinder that situation so we allow latitude in what and how we do things for each other.
In a have to be quick decision or one that has to be made very unemotionally I usually make it same as one involving technical issues. Otherwise we do discuss and decide together. Any decision about significant money (ie over $1k) we both decide. The new to me bike is a good example. I picked the make / model / year and so on but got her input as to how she liked riding it as well. If she was too uncomfortable with it we moved on. I knew what she likes so it wasn't hard to limit the choice. We both are comfortable with the bike and enjoy riding it.
In short neither of us feels "threatened" emotionally, mentally or physically by the other. We're partners and expect some difficulties but the world won't come to an end if we hit one.
